Road-cart



E. R. LAWRENCE.

ROAD CART.

Patented Mar. 5, 1889;

E n eifilawreuc (No Model.)

17v VENTOR orney N. PiTERS. Pvwwunw m mv. Washington, D. t;

EUGENE R. LAVRENCE,

ROAD

n'rcnr Urricn OF NAPOLEON, MICHIGAN.

-CART.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,056, dated March 5, 1889.

Application filed December 20, 1888- Serial N0- 294=,218. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE R. LAWRENCE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Napoleon, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful ITIIDIOVGIDOHIS in Road-Carts; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain new The object of my invention is to provide atwo-wheelcd vehicle which will be light in construction and consist of but few parts, and is constructed so that I will be enabled to employ but a single spring to connect the seat to the axle, said spring having means connected therewith whereby the seat or body will be permitted to have a direct vertical movement as well as a slight lateral movement, the thills of the vehicle being also connected to the axle by clips and springs; and my invention consists in the construction and combination of the parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a road-cart constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, and Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view.

A refers to the axle, which is bent or arched centrally between the thills, and is provided with a gnide-opening, a, which may be a perforation formed in the axle or an independent perforated plate suitably clipped or bolted thereto. To the under side of the axle is attached a downwardly curved or arched bracebar, B, which is provided with a central opening, Z). This brace-bar is also provided adjacent to its outer ends with rearwardly-proj ecting lugs 13, to which are secured shackles c c, which extend inwardly, and to which a semi-elliptical spring, D, is connected by means of the links cl (1. To the central spring, D, at its under side, is attached a short curved plate, E, to the center of which is secured, either rigidly or pivotally, as may be desired,

' l and useful IIIIDIOVGIHQHIS in road-carts or sulkics.

' the upturned end of a rearwardly-extending arm, f, which is formed on or integral with the rod F. The ends of this rod or guide F pass through the guide openings or perforations in the axle and brace-bar, as shown, the lower end of said rod F extending a suitable distance below the brace-bar B, the lower end thereof being screw-threaded and provided with a nut, {1. Over the lower end of the rod F, between the nut and the under side of the brace-bar B, is placed the perforated end h of a brace or plate, II, so that it can move upon the rod, the front end thereof being rigidly connected to the foot-rest of the body of the vehicle.

Above the semi-elliptical spring and rigidly attachcd thereto is a seat-supporting brace, I, consisting of a bar or plate, the upper ends of which are curved outwardly and secured to the under side of the seat, while the central portion is bent to correspond with the curvature of the spring and is rigidly attached to said spring and to the plate be neath.

It will be noted that the rod F is free to turn in the perforations or guides formed in the brace'rod or axle, so that the arm formed thereon can move in the radii of a circle; also, that the spring which is hung upon the links may have a slight lateral movement sufficient to take up and overcome the side movement of the vehicle. The rod F also moves vertically in the guides, so that the spring is not affected.

To the under side of the axle by the usual clips are attached the rear ends of the thills or shafts J, and beneath said clips are scoured the rear ends of forwardly-extendingsprings K K, the front ends of which are secured to the under side of the thills slightly to the rear of the cross-bar to which the singletree is secured. These springs K K take up and overcome the horse movement and prevent the same being imparted to the axle, and also maintain the body in a horizontal position.

The brace-rod, besides serving as a means for attaching the semi-elliptical spring and a guide for the rod F, also rceni'orces the axle and permits a lighter bar to be used therefor.

The body of the vehicle can be of ordinary construction, and is braced so that the footrest and seat will be rigid with respect to each other.

A vehicle constructed hereinbefore described can be built to be extremely light, and the weight carried thereby is placed so as to be nearly counterbalanced or immediatelyovcr the axle, and but a single spring is used for connecting the seat to the axle.

I do not wish to limit myself to the special form and construction of the parts which go to make up my improved vehicle, as the clips, springs, and axle may be made up of the same kind that are common and well known to the trade.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claiml. The combination, in a sulky or road-cart, of an upwardly-enrved axle, a brace-bar located beneath the same, said axle and bracebar having guides or perforations, and springs secured rear of the axle and provided with a seat-support, the rod F, passing through the guides in the axle and brace-bar and provided with a rearwardly-extending member connected to the spring, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, in a road-cart or sulky, of an axle and brace beneath the same having perforations through which passes a rod, F, having a rearwardly-extending member, a spring located rear of the axle, to which said rearwardly extending member is secured, means for connecting the seat to the spring, and a forwardly-extending bar connected to the lower part of the bar F and to the f0otrest or front portion of the body, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

37 The combination, in a road cart or vehicle, of an upwardly-curved axle having a central perforation, a brace-bar having a corresponding perforation located beneath the axle and provided with rearwardly-extending lugs, a semi-elliptical spring connected to said lugs by links or swinging connections, a rod, F, passing through the perforations in the axle and brace-bar, said rod having a rearwardly-projeeting member connected to the under side of the semi-elliptical spring, means for connecting the seat to the spring, and a forwardly-extending bar having a perforated rear end,through which the rod F passes, the front end of said bar being connected to the foot-rest of the body of the vehicle, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

at. The combination, in a road-cart or sulky, of a seat supported upon semi elliptical spring, a movable guide having a rearwardlyextending memberconnected to the center of said spring, the spring being connected to the axle by links, and a forwardly extending brace connected to the foot portion of the body and to the lower end of the brace-rod, the parts being organized so that the body of the vehicle can have a vertical and a lateral swinging movement, for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination, in a road-cart, of a seat support-ed upon a spring, said spring being connected to a vertical bar, F, which passes through the axle and brace-bar, so as to in: sure a vertical movement thereof, and the thills secured to the axle and provided with springs K K, the parts being constructed and combined substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EUGENE R. LAYVRENOE. Vitnesses:

RALPH E. SNOW, ELI A. CLEMENT. 

